A Study in Emerald
by SinclairWhite
Summary: A short scene with Draco Malfoy waiting for his girlfriend Hermione Granger from three different perspectives.


So this is basically just me trying to explore how I've been writing Draco Malfoy. It's one short, everyday scene from three different perspectives, Draco, Hermione, and a random muggle watching them. It might end up being tied in with another long one I'm working on, actually, but it won't be finished for a bit, and I don't want to start posting anything until it's done. Anyway, it's just a cute scene and I hope you enjoy. Ta ta.

S. White

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the other films/etc mentioned in this piece.

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><p>A Study in Emerald<p>

Draco Malfoy – Character Study

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><p>Draco<p>

Draco Malfoy leaned against his car in a London street. He was waiting for his girlfriend, Hermione Granger, to pick up her tailored dress and rejoin him. But he supposed he couldn't complain about the wait time; he had insisted she get it tailored in the first place. Merlin, he was lucky to have her. Sure, things hadn't worked out between her and the Weasel, but she could have had her pick of nice, young wizards, and she had picked him. Former Death Eater, reformed bully, and all round git.

Of course, he was mostly a better person than the one he had been during their time at school, but still, he had been amazed she had been nice enough to forgive him. Well, he had managed to get over her punching him in the nose, he thought with a grin, but he had deserved that. Once his mother had gotten used to Hermione, she had told him it would be good for him to be with someone who would be frank with him. Frank was an understatement. Hermione didn't take his poor ego seriously at all, always teasing him about it and making him laugh.

The introduction to the muggle world hadn't been all bad. Mm, like his _car_. He _really_ liked this car. Hermione had explained muggle transportation to him and he had liked the idea of cars as a muggle symbol of status. He had actually done research: about the different makes, their reputations, and the engineering inside them. It was just like buying a broom, really, except you got to take it to the shops _and_ sporting events. So he had bought the most beautiful, impressive, and expensive car he could find. He had owned it for six months now and kept it constantly clean and shining. According to plan he was getting admiring looks from quite a few of the passing muggles, although a few times he wasn't sure if the muggle was looking at him or his car. Either way, the lookers almost always seemed pleased.

Then there had been the films. He was interested in muggle films and had forced Hermione to sit through a lot of classics with him. He loved Hitchcock's work, had been confused by _Citizen Kane_, and made Hermione rewatch _Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail _twice. He definitely liked films. And he had noticed that they were excellent topics of conversations with muggles and he didn't entirely dread talking to them anymore. He had also started watching the muggle news and current events were good conversation topics too. Cell phones had been nice, and he certainly had no problems with muggle money. He had even started to expand into muggle business, which had made the cell phones necessary.

Ah, but here came his lovely lady, dress over one arm. He smiled warmly at her and was rewarded by one of those glowing smiles of hers.

"Hello, beautiful, fancy seeing you here." He said, sauntering up to her. She hit him lightly on the arm and he grinned at her, unlocking his car doors so she could get the dress in. "They get it fixed okay?"

"Yes, now I just can't gain any weight for a month," Hermione sighed. He hugged her around the middle as she tried to go around to the passenger side, ignoring her protests that they were in public.

"My dear, you will look as stunning as you always do." He kissed her cheek and held her there for a second, smiling down at her, and then suddenly let her go. "Shall we? I want to be in time for that Dickens film playing on that contraption."

She rolled her eyes at him as she got into the car. He grinned broadly as he got behind the wheel and started the engine, feeling ridiculously happy. He really had the best girlfriend and his new life was fantastic.

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><p>Hermione<p>

Hermione Granger waited in the ladies' tailors for the woman behind the counter to go get her dress. Draco Malfoy had actually agreed to attend the wedding of one of her cousins with her as her plus one in a month, even if he had talked her into getting her dress altered here. She had to admit that during the fitting it had looked better on her. Her handsome boyfriend certainly had good taste, even if he didn't help his case by bragging about it.

She looked over at him, leaning against his car with his lazy elegance. He looked so handsome in his white muggle button up shirt, tie, and slacks, and his hair loose and windswept. But he was so much softer now, from his freed hair to his eyes, which had seemed to melt over recent years. He was kinder, nicer, more fun to be around, and she couldn't have been more surprised, even after she had decided to give him a second chance.

He was similar to what he had always been, but also very different. He really was lounging out there, his hands in his pockets and his sleeves rolled up on this warm day. His Mark had faded and disappeared after Voldemort's death, something he had been very happy about, and he wore his sleeves at whatever length he wanted now. He had been horrified by the idea that muggles might compliment him on a cool tattoo. Instead he had perfectly pressed shirt and slacks, and gleaming shoes. He had taken on a house elf who helped with all this but had found one that let him pay her at Hermione's request. She suspected it was important enough to him that he would have been able to manage without the elf, though. His tie was perfect and his hair perfectly windswept. She also suspected he used some kind of wind spell on it in the morning, but hadn't been able to catch him at it.

And trust him to buy an Aston Martin. She had explained how muggle cars had worked and why they used them, and he had asked if they were a little like brooms. She had supposed so and then a week or so later he had come home with not just any car, but an Aston Martin. He had just grinned and said 'only the best.' He had taken to some other muggle things as well, like the occasional cup of coffee and, of course, the television. He had taken to the television and films like a fish to water and she had spent quite a few evenings curled up with him at their flat, warm and with cups of tea or popcorn while a film played. He had even made her watch _Monty Python_ twice in a row. But she didn't mind. She had been a little worried she wouldn't have 'normal' or muggle dates with Draco Malfoy, but her worries had been unfounded. She loved cuddling with him to watch Hitchcock or Dickens adaptations. He had taken to muggle classical novels excellently as well.

The woman returned with her dress and Hermione thanked her and paid with a smile, carrying the dress out over her arm. Draco smiled at her as she came up to him and one look at him made her light up and smile back.

"Hello, beautiful, fancy seeing you here." He said, walking up with that silly saunter of his and she hit him lightly on the shoulder for his ridiculousness. The car doors unlocked with a click and she opened the driver door to put her dress in as he asked about it.

"Yes, now I just can't gain any weight for a month," Hermione sighed. She was very worried about that, with all the lovely meals his elf made. She was thinking about her diet as she went to the passenger side when she found herself trapped by Draco and pulled against him. She felt her cheeks go hot and the stares of the watching muggles.

"My dear, you will look as stunning as you always do." He said, kissing her cheek slowly and making her heart beat faster and her breath catch in her chest. He held her there for what felt like some time, his smiling beaming down at her, before let her go with a suddenness that jarred her back to reality and made her blush deeper. "Shall we? I want to be in time for that Dickens film playing on that contraption."

She rolled her eyes at him as she went around to the passenger side. Only Draco. But that was one reason she loved him and she was looking forward to another few hours cuddled against him while the film was on. He was ridiculous and she loved him with all her heart.

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><p>Stranger<p>

She pulled out her phone at the bus stop, checking the time when her bus was supposed to arrive, but her attention was drawn to the power level, which was down to a thin line. No, no, no! Don't die, don't die! She wouldn't have any music if her phone died and she had been relying on texting a friend to pass the time. But as she watched the phone flashed a message and shut off, the music going silent in her ears. She sighed heavily and pulled the earbuds out, resigning herself to the rest of her commute without her excuse to not look at anyone. And just her luck the bus was late.

She looked around, trying to find something interesting to pass the time before the bus arrived. Jogger, lady with umbrella, man waiting-oh hold it- _attractive_ man waiting by a seriously _nice_ car. He looked around his mid-twenties too; way too young to own a car like that, which meant that either he or his family was loaded. Heck, you practically had to be loaded to afford the London congestion charge.

He wasn't that far away either and she could tell he was handsome. He was leaning on his car like he owned the street it was parked on. Man, his hair was perfect and his clothes were perfect and his face was perfect. He must be gay or something. Or a model, because she hadn't seen men like that outside perfume ads. That would have been a convincing theory if there had been photographers around, then she could have imagined that he had been dressed and made up to look like this. This couldn't be the way he looked every day.

Oh man, she was staring. She looked away and watched a man walk by with a dog but then her eyes dragged themselves back to the man leaning on his car. He was almost too attractive to be real. Should she go and talk to him? Well there was no point in telling him he was gorgeous; he had to know. There was no possible way he didn't know. But he was gorgeous and probably very rich; could she pass up this opportunity? But as soon as she left the bus would probably get there. Should she?

She was about to take a step toward the man when he stood up straight and she froze, but he wasn't looking at her. A woman had come out of a shop and she went over to him, carrying something she put in his car. She should have known he was taken. But she would have expected some kind of super skinny supermodel just as gorgeous as he was. The woman was certainly beautiful but in an approachable way.

She sighed. The woman was certainly his girlfriend, maybe even his wife. She was trying not to watch them, but she saw the way they looked at each other and his kiss on her bright red cheek. Why couldn't she find a man like that? They were very clearly in love. If the woman wasn't his wife, she soon would be, that was certain.

At least her melancholy suffering was short lived, because as the man started his amazing car and the happy couple drove off, the bus came into view. She tried not to think about the man on the trip home and mostly failed.


End file.
